"Effectiveness of Chuna Therapy Confirmed for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Treatment"

Research Team Led by Korean Medicine Doctor Lee Nam-woo at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
Improvement Effects on Temporomandibular Joint Function, Pain, and Quality of Life

Medical staff at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine are performing Chuna therapy on a patient with temporomandibular joint disorder.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The first research paper proving the effectiveness of Chuna therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders has been published.

The research team led by Hanui Lee Nam-woo from Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute announced on the 26th that, through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, Chuna therapy was found to be effective in improving TMJ function, pain, and quality of life.

The team analyzed a total of 12 randomized controlled trial (RCT) papers studying pain intensity, functional disability level, and quality of life in adult TMJ disorder patients who received Chuna therapy.

First, the subjects were divided into a Chuna therapy treatment group and a conventional medical treatment group, which included physical therapy and ultrasound therapy. A meta-analysis comparing the effectiveness rate between the Chuna therapy group and the conventional medical treatment group showed a relative risk of 1.15 (95% confidence interval 1.05, 1.27), indicating that the Chuna therapy group had a significantly better treatment effect than the conventional medical treatment group. The effectiveness rate refers to a comprehensive scale that evaluates joint range of motion, mouth opening capacity, and masticatory function, divided into four stages.

Hanui Lee Nam-woo, Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital.

In particular, Chuna therapy showed even better effects when combined with other treatments. When comparing the combined Chuna therapy and conventional medical treatment group to the conventional medical treatment group alone, the effectiveness rate was higher at 1.28 (95% confidence interval 1.08, 1.52). Similarly, patients who received Chuna therapy along with conventional Korean medicine treatments such as acupuncture and moxibustion showed a higher effectiveness rate (1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.10, 1.32) compared to those who received only conventional Korean medicine treatments.

Additionally, analysis of the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity showed an average difference of -1.17 (95% confidence interval -1.71, -0.64), indicating that the Chuna therapy group experienced greater pain relief than the control group. The VAS scale indicates more severe pain with higher numbers. The research team interpreted that Chuna therapy, a manual treatment method manipulating muscles and bones, shows immediate effects and is superior to conventional medical treatments in improving function and alleviating pain.

Quality of life before and after treatment was also superior in the Chuna therapy group. Meta-analysis using quality of life assessment indicators EQVAS (EuroQol VAS) and SF-12 PCS (Short Form-12 Health Survey Physical Component Score) showed mean differences of 13.35 (95% confidence interval 5.33, 21.37) and 4.59 (95% confidence interval 1.75, 7.43), respectively, indicating higher quality of life in the Chuna therapy group.

Hanui Lee said, “This study is significant as the first systematic literature review on Chuna therapy for TMJ disorders,” and added, “We will continue to conduct large-scale studies that can clearly prove the clinical effectiveness of Chuna therapy.”

This paper was recently published in the SCI(E)-level international journal ‘Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (IF=1.804)’.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.